2021-07-18: Once More Unto the Breach

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  • Log: Once More Unto the Breach
  • Cast: Josephine Lovelace, Seraph Yvain, Yulie Ahtreide, Ruth Pauling
  • Where: Zoara Badlands
  • Date: July 18, 2021
  • Summary: Once again, a most unusual group ventures into the depths of the Zeboim Ruins, hoping to overcome the trials within and find whatever secrets it may be keeping from the world.

===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - An Unstable Crossing *>=====================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 Five thousand years ago, this city was buried during an apocalypse.

 The actual route down to the ruins below is uneventful: the Ethos team
 managing the excavation had installed a functional elevator and you are able
 to easily gain access to it and ride down.

 You find yourself on the opposite end of a great bridge once you step into
 the entrance they carved into the rock. Below you, you can see the shattered
 remnants of the city buried by time and cataclysm alike.

 The bridge itself has not had a good five thousand years: it's broken, with
 a good chunk of it missing. But the good news is, someone has made a
 makeshift bridge for the gap.

 The bad news is that it's rather unstable. It might be a good idea to shore
 it up some before you try to cross it. It's a long way down.

 BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLFaqrDf4Zk
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust, Reckless========================================
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "So, here we are," Josie remarks, hand on her hip as she regards the ruins sprawling out below them all. "Once again, yeah?"

    The agreement had been to make their way to the ruins and see if they met with better luck this time around in the depths -- to see what secrets this place might still be keeping to itself here in the dark.

    As before, the bridge someone had set up -- unstable, rickety -- lies before them. It seems that past attempts, as Josie notices as she approaches it and feels it wobble beneath her, to stabilize it had not stuck. It's probably not precisely stable to cross as it stands.

    "...Wonder if someone else came through here," she muses, only to nod at that very thought. "Heh. Probably. Well, give me a hand with this, yeah? I figure, it's gonna take a bit of work to make sure it don't buck us all over the edge. Now that's a drop I'd rather avoid..."

    She pulls out her screwdriver, already at work at the joins and fasteners someone else has left behind here.

    "Wonder if we'll meet our old friend again?" Josie muses, as she works, meaning the Gear pilot.

DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Lucky Screwdriver toward her party's challenge, An Unstable Crossing.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

"Here we are," Yvain agrees. He looks down to the bridge, noticing its wobble, and while as before he is less concerned for himself, he doesn't intend to go on in alone. So there is thematter of the bridge. "It's likely," he answers her question/statement, and pulls a couple of jugs of cider from his pack--this time only one of them is hard cider. He warms both, handing out cups to the group as they work. "Something to keep warm in the dank," he suggests, and hmms a little.

"I wonder if we will. We'll be more prepared this time if so, I think."

DG: Seraph Yvain has used his Tool Cider Jug toward his party's challenge, An Unstable Crossing.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Last time, it had been something of a coincidence that they all happened to run into each other and join forces. This time, however, they've all agreed to challenge it again together. Yulie can be quite stubborn at times, and this is one of those times.

And so, once more, they find themselves in front of the bridge leading into the city proper. It looks like someone else might have been here recently, and they've set up a patchwork bridge... but one that's rickety and unstable.

"...I'm not sure. But at least this time we'll be ready..." Yulie replies. She will accept a cup of cider before sending a grateful smile Yvain's way and taking a drink. It's good! A warm, refreshing beverage is the exact sort of thing she needs in a situation like this.

"I'll do my best..." Yulie says. She doesn't have any tools on her so she can't help that way, but she can at least do her best to try and hold it steady. That should make it at least a little easier.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Unstable Crossing.
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    Ruth's in about as good spirits as someone like her can muster in present circumstances, honoring the agreement to meet up once again. She's wrapped herself up in what she was before, as that elf with harsher facial features. As she dresses more for the proportions of her 'true' self, she remains appearing comically overdressed. The perpetual slouch follows, her rifle on her back as she stakes out a corner of the elevator to quietly watch the rest from.

     As before, out to the precarious broken bridge, where their previous solution(s) should continue to hold up - and her mind wanders to look out to the ruins of the city with an unrelenting glare and a sucked-in breath that - eerily - doesn't leave.

     Cider is passed out. It takes a moment for Ruth to accept it. "How kind of you," she says gently, but this may be more talking herself into it as she sometimes has to. It prevents her mind from wandering into dangerous territory at mention of the 'old friend,' given what it set off.

     She's not gifted in terms of figuring out engineering or carpentry, and just quietly lends a hand in holding some things in place (as long as they aren't too heavy).

DG: Ruth Pauling has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, An Unstable Crossing.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - An Unstable Crossing *>=====================
|Type: Entry       |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 Five thousand years ago, this city was buried during an apocalypse.

 The actual route down to the ruins below is uneventful: the Ethos team
 managing the excavation had installed a functional elevator and you are able
 to easily gain access to it and ride down.

 You find yourself on the opposite end of a great bridge once you step into
 the entrance they carved into the rock. Below you, you can see the shattered
 remnants of the city buried by time and cataclysm alike.

 The bridge itself has not had a good five thousand years: it's broken, with
 a good chunk of it missing. But the good news is, someone has made a
 makeshift bridge for the gap.

 The bad news is that it's rather unstable. It might be a good idea to shore
 it up some before you try to cross it. It's a long way down.

 BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLFaqrDf4Zk
=Dungeon Conditions: Exhaust, Reckless========================================
==========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 1 *>==========================
=======================< Results - An Unstable Crossing >=======================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  0 --(12)--> 12                 Pass
Lucky Screwdriver                   2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        0 --(32)--> 32                 Fail
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      0 --(12)--> 12                 Pass
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        0 --(12)--> 12                 Pass
Cider Jug                           2   Wits    Effects: Stalwart
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          0 --(15)--> 15                 Fail
Conditions: Exhaust(1)|Reckless(2)
Effects: Enlighten(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has failed this challenge! The party gained 15 exploration! If anyone needs to
use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    The cider helps -- there's a chill down here, and Josie's never been one to say no to a bit of a tipple, no matter the circumstances. Pausing a moment in her work, she holds the cup between both hands (stiffly, on the right) as if she could thereby warm herself.

    She turns an eye Yulie's way for a moment or two, only to chuckle softly to herself and return, after having her drink, to working on stabilizing the bridge.

    It doesn't take long for her to complete it.

    "There. That should do us," she declares, shoving her screwdriver away into some dark pocket. Rising to her feet, she begins to cross, likely followed by the others.

    They're about midway when the worst possible thing happens--

    One of the boards cracks just as Ruth steps on it. For one hideous second, everyone else might think that she's about to fall. Hellion or no, winged form or no, it would be horrific if she were to plummet down into the abyss beneath them.

    But Josie lunges forward in this moment, her one good hand grabbing Ruth by the wrist. "Yvain! Yulie!"

    Because they'll all need to work together on this one, to say nothing of moving to cross the rest of the bridge as quickly as possible. Another way back out might be a neccessity. Or at least, a new plank for the bridge...

DG: Ruth Pauling has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Activated Security Drones *>===================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 When the power was restored to this place, some of its defenses were, too.
 Look, here come some of them now.

 Flying down a corridor towards you at speed is a small fleet of armed
 security drones. They'd almost be cute if they weren't... shooting at you...

 ...Ouch.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    The once elf nearly falls - were it not for Josie.

     That Ruth doesn't curl the fingers of her hand on that grabbed wrist around Josie's life-saving rescue attempt... makes it a bit harder. Almost as if the idea of having those fingers touch anyone - even with a glove on - were scarier than a hundred percent certain death. Beyond this strange bit of body language, she's able to pick up the pace just enough to not fall to her death. When she's on the other side with the rest, she falls to her knees and yanks her arm free, breathless for tense seconds.

     "...Thank you," she says at last, choking down an emotional response and keeping her right hand over her heart for most of the journey leading up towards a few narrow corridors where trained and familiar ears can pick up the sound of whatever propulsion systems allow the security drones flight. In Ruth's case, they're coming from her left - where she is basically deaf - and is taken by surprise when a tracer streaks by her and embeds its ammunition in a nearby wall.

     Wordlessly she floors it and manages to bring herself over and behind a road work barricade, head bowed as she gets her revolver drawn.

     She wants to ask if anyone was hurt, but... she'd know.

     "...Those models," she speaks up, repressing down a bit more dread for a nebulous 'later,' "they usually have a... lead figure. Cube shaped," she looks up from cover and snaps off two shots before ducking back down.

DG: Ruth Pauling has contributed a Combat Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Activated Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

With cider passed out, Yvain returns to the work, nodding to each person as they reply. It's fine if Ruth has to talk herself into it. "Your best will be a great help," he tells Yulie though, and they move on--

"Damn," he says, moving forward to help when they start falling. It turns out that he is fairly strong, which is important for this matter--and they all work together, until...

"It's fine. You're part of the group--we ought to protect you, too."

But suddenly Ruth is moving and there's ammunition happening and Yvain frowns sharply, looking towards the drones. Lead figure... CUbe shaped.

"There's a break in it for you when we finish this," he says, setting the grill down out of the way and lightening his load so that he can rush forward with flames ablazing towards the drones.

DG: Seraph Yvain has used his Tool Portable Grill toward his party's challenge, Activated Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    Rescuing Ruth takes work. Josie's fellow sniper doesn't make the task easy, but with the added assistance with the others joining in--

    "Too damn close for my tastes," Josie remarks once they're all safely on the other side. Already, she's lit a cigarette, perhaps underscoring the fact that she's been rattled by this near miss. Waving one hand through the air dismissively as Ruth thanks her, she then shakes her head. "Nah. Don't you worry 'bout it none. It ain't like any of us were gonna let you fall, right?"

    She stands there for a moment more, regarding the abyss below them, before finally tossing her still lit cigarette into the void. "C'mon. Let's get going," she says, turning on her heel to head deeper into the ruins.

    It's not long before they run into trouble.

    "Huh. Interesting design," the wayward archaeologist remarks, flattening against a wall as she narrowly dodges a spray of bullets. "Impressive they're still working. See if you can spare breaking one into bits, yeah? I'd like to see what makes 'em tick."

    And in that vein, she doesn't introduce herself to the drones with bullets.

    She introduces herself with a slosh of alcohol in their general direction. It might be disabling.
    ...Particularly when she follows it up with a surge of electricity.

DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Liquid Courage toward her party's challenge, Activated Security Drones.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Yulie gasps in surprise as she hears the bridge crack behind her, turning around just in time to see Ruth beginning to fall. Josie grasps for her wrist and Yulie immediately moves to help. She doesn't have much in the way of strength, but she pools what she has and pulls hard to try and help. She, too, collapses to her knees breathlessly after all that.

"Y-you're... you're welcome..." Yulie says between breaths... and when Yvain says that Ruth is part of the team too, she nods in agreement.

Understandably they all need to take a moment, but soon enough it's time to move on. They pass through a few corridors when suddenly, ARMs-fire comes screaming their way! Yulie quickly ducks behind the nearest wall for cover. One hand grasps the holy symbol of Granas that she always carries with her, while the other draws from her deck of Crest Graph.

"A wall to stop pain...!" Yulie calls out. A hexagonal barrier of light surrounds their position, intercepting oncoming bullets while allowing their own attacks to pass through.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has used her Tool Holy Symbol toward her party's challenge, Activated Security Drones.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
==================<* CHALLENGE - Activated Security Drones *>===================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Combat    |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 When the power was restored to this place, some of its defenses were, too.
 Look, here come some of them now.

 Flying down a corridor towards you at speed is a small fleet of armed
 security drones. They'd almost be cute if they weren't... shooting at you...

 ...Ouch.
=Dungeon Conditions: Wound====================================================
==========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 2 *>==========================
====================< Results - Activated Security Drones >=====================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  12 --(5)--> 17                 Pass
Liquid Courage                      3   Combat  Effects: Rally
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        32 --(5)--> 37                 Pass
Fight                               0   Combat  Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      12 --(5)--> 17                 Pass
Holy Symbol                         1   Combat  Effects: Cleanse
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        12 --(5)--> 17                 Pass
Portable Grill                      2   Combat  Effects: Embolden
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          15 --(20)--> 35                Pass
Conditions: Reckless(1)|Wound(2)
Effects: Cleanse|Embolden(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to
use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    There's a little bitter laugh that Ruth lets out in some of the well-wishes and reaffirmations of their camaraderie, but it doesn't escalate into anything more untoward in the middle of a pitched firefight.

     Yulie reinforces cover with the help of her barrier, which turns out to be necessary because one shot fractures a large chunk off the side of the barrier they're using. Said barrier fares much, much better and gives them more time to coordinate and plan which ones to shoot.

     Josie hurls out some alcohol on some of the drones that are closer, causing them to begin to short out (and then continue shorting out, and never finish shorting out before they explode).

     From there, Yvain has the grill ready as he gets all up in the grills of the remaining drones, obliterating them thusly - and leaving a few intact for Josie's curiosity.

     One less intact, because Ruth unloads two more shots into that drone as if there's a need to work out some aggression, some stress, that the destroyed thousands-year-old technology does not provide as it feels nothing.

     "...These models," Ruth speaks as she looks towards the corridor ahead for any more, reloading and pointing the revolver forward as if daring them to attack if they're there. "I'd see them on both sides." She waits a tense moment for more to emerge, that do not. "Turns out they weren't good at telling the sides apart. They kept getting fielded anyway."

     The contents of Yvain's grill will be a nice meal break after two nasty close calls like that - once Ruth can be assured of herself that more aren't going to come filtering down that hallway, as she quietly wonders as to what sort of enemy the Zeboim must have had to have left a legacy of things that could still move around on their own and kill thousands of years later.

     She reminds herself to be happy that everyone is all right, even with her mind buzzing.

DG: Seraph Yvain has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Place of Darkness *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 There is power through most of the ruins, though whether it has always been
 like this or whether it is because of the Ethos/Solaris' tampering is
 uncertain. ...It's probably the latter, though.

 The room ahead of you is an exception. It's dark inside -- power is not
 flowing into this space. Maybe it was cut. Maybe the connections were
 fractured in the cataclysm that buried this place.

 In any case, you'll need to either figure out how to get the power flowing
 again, or you'll have to figure out how you can navigate and explore a
 pitch-black room.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

"As you like." Yvain can avoid smashing them completely anyway, and it seems he does. He doesn't really know how these things work, but they are interesting. His interest is tempered by a sobering thought, however. These models...

"Weapons like that, indiscriminately used." He shakes his head. But he is able to provide something of a break. That he can do, though he too remains vigilant through it.

But they must proceed eventually, and they do. They step through a corridor into a room that opens, and then turns out to have no power; it's very dark indeed, and the Seraph lifts his hand palm up. A ball of flame appears there, lighting some of the room, though not much of it; the dark is hard to penetrate.

"...The power isn't working..."

"Take a drink. It's cold in here. Then, we'll find out way through--whatever stopped the power here may still be here, so we want to be prepared."

DG: Seraph Yvain has used his Tool Cider Jug toward his party's challenge, Place of Darkness.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Place of Darkness *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 There is power through most of the ruins, though whether it has always been
 like this or whether it is because of the Ethos/Solaris' tampering is
 uncertain. ...It's probably the latter, though.

 The room ahead of you is an exception. It's dark inside -- power is not
 flowing into this space. Maybe it was cut. Maybe the connections were
 fractured in the cataclysm that buried this place.

 In any case, you'll need to either figure out how to get the power flowing
 again, or you'll have to figure out how you can navigate and explore a
 pitch-black room.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    The alcohol works a little too well, particularly in conjunction with the spark of electricity that she follows it up with. Coupled with the way that Ruth and the others settle with the drones, there's only one sad lonely drone-corpse for Josie to work with. She breaks it down as quickly as she can, scavenging a few choice pieces.

    "...You fought these before? In the, what... the civil war?" There's a pause as Josie stands. "Never did read all that much about Celesti. Maybe I should."

    They press on, winding their way further into the ruin--

    And round their way right into a corridor devoid of light.

    Josie snaps her fingers, summoning a glittering sphere with her left hand; it hovers above her palm for a moment, two moments before settling into orbit at about head height.

    "Sure is. Wonder if there's anything we can do here?" she remarks, setting off slowly into the room in search of something that might yield -- or be repaired -- by the power of a particularly useful screwdriver.

DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Lucky Screwdriver toward her party's challenge, Place of Darkness.
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    "Yes," Ruth says as if to force the word out rather than repress it. One need not look further than that for the reason the region is in such dire straits. As Josie mentions reading up on it, she doesn't make eye contact with the rest of them for a while.

     Then, the darkness. Dark enough that her eyesight - her strongest 'normal' sense - is negated. She is reliant on Yvain's gift of flame for sight, and the glittering sphere that Josie summons in turn. She lacks the engineering acumen to follow up on where they should look to try and reactivate the power.

     She quietly breathes in. In case their light fails... she'll know if someone is hurt, or in fear of their environs. The most she can do is, should that time come, quietly assure them she will be there.

     She does accept the drink in the interim. She doesn't hold the same concerns about regulating her body temperature as the others might - most of the time she has trouble noticing.

DG: Ruth Pauling has contributed a Wits Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Place of Darkness.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

Yulie is quiet as Ruth remarks on how the drones were used in the civil war. She moves forward with the others, a bit subdued. She looks up, though, when she finds herself in a room that's in complete darkness.

"Oh, um..." She starts as Josie asks if there's anything they can do, looking up and looking around. "...I don't feel anything here. Maybe a little further in...?"

She's not really sure where they'd restore the power, even if they could. She takes note of the ball of flame Yvain produces, though, and quickly rummages for a moment before drawing out what appears to be a long staff with a curved head - a Wonder Staff, known to be highly receptive to elemental energies to those familiar with the kind of magical tools one can occasionally find lying around in ruins.

"Ah... do you mind if I borrow that for a moment?" She asks. If he agrees, she'll touch the end of the staff to the ball of flame. The staff's head bursts into flame immediately - a self-contained flame without risk of spreading. That'll help give them a little extra light as they proceed.

"Ah, thank you..." Yulie says, as Yvain offers a drink, though. She carefully relocates the staff to the crook of one arm and use the other to accept it.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has used her Tool Wonder Staff toward her party's challenge, Place of Darkness.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
======================<* CHALLENGE - Place of Darkness *>=======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Wits      |Challenge Rating: 2          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 There is power through most of the ruins, though whether it has always been
 like this or whether it is because of the Ethos/Solaris' tampering is
 uncertain. ...It's probably the latter, though.

 The room ahead of you is an exception. It's dark inside -- power is not
 flowing into this space. Maybe it was cut. Maybe the connections were
 fractured in the cataclysm that buried this place.

 In any case, you'll need to either figure out how to get the power flowing
 again, or you'll have to figure out how you can navigate and explore a
 pitch-black room.
=Dungeon Conditions: Stupify==================================================
==========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 3 *>==========================
========================< Results - Place of Darkness >=========================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  17 --(0)--> 17                 Pass
Lucky Screwdriver                   2   Wits    Effects: Enlighten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        37 --(12)--> 49                Fail
Investigate                         0   Wits    Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      17 --(0)--> 17                 Pass
Wonder Staff                        3   Wits    Effects: Fanfare
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        17 --(12)--> 29                Fail
Cider Jug                           2   Wits    Effects: Stalwart
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          35 --(20)--> 55                Pass
Conditions: Stupify(2)
Effects: Enlighten(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to
use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

That Ruth doesn't notice her own condition would be even more reason for Yvain to look after her! But he is attentive to Yulie as she makes a request of him. "That's fine," he answers, and lets her at the flame--where it turns into the staff's light, as it turns out. "Useful!" he remarks, and no longer has to bother maintaining his own light at this point.

Ruth and Yvain are not the most helpful here directly; neither really has the engineering sense to follow up on this. However, they are capable of ensuring they aren't interrupted, and spend their energy on that. Josie and Yulie, on the other hand, have the lights--and between them, Josie finds a few panels that open to a screwdriver and Yulie keeps them steady going. The lights flicker on.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has drawn a new Challenge.
==============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>==============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Treacherous Traps *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 3          |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ethos who had excavated this place must have thought it likely that
 someone would have come in here -- maybe they thought that Gebler or some
 other arm of Solaris' forces would investigate closely, or perhaps they were
 even thinking of people like you.

 The bad news for you is that this hallway is absolutely rigged to ruin
 someone's day. Which is you. You're about to have a very bad day.

 Whether it's from the proximity mines, the bear traps, the multiple multiple
 bomblets... the only thing that can be said is that you should get through
 here as quickly as possible!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Bad Luck=========================================
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

The lights flicker on...

...and light up the corridor ahead, which they can now see is filled with all kinds of terrible things. Proximity mines, bear traps, a multitude of bomblets... if it can make your day worse, there's a good chance that it's somewhere in this corridor. Yulie pales considerably, looking back at the others.

"Um... I think... maybe we should go look for another way around...?" She suggests. "Someone really doesn't want us going that way..."

...Of course, if there's this much security, there's a good chance there's something on the other end. She will, reluctantly, follow after the others if they decide to proceed, though she'll do so slowly and cautiously.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Treacherous Traps.
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    The former elf is among the last to step out of the darkness, out into the light of the corridor ahead which is full of distinctive shapes, lights, and things that... some of which she did see in her time with the Order. A twinge of awful feelings run through her when associated memories find themselves on the fishhooks of her emotional discordance.

     She goes to Yulie's side. "You're frightened." She states, matter-of-factly to her perceptions but with the quiet intonation of someone attempting to appeal to and validate her concerns. She draws a Crest from her oversized overcoat, holding it in her hands in contemplation.

     "I can set some off," she says as her fingers part to show the Crests of Muse and Wing. To Yvain, this may be especially curious. Hellions have their own form of sorcery that seems to come to them as easily as breathing - that she might yet still call upon the techniques of who she once was... there's not much reason for her to conceal her true nature or power among those who accept her as she is.

     Given the prompt, she'll summon forth a rapid, river-like stream of water to rush down the hallway and try to sweep up or set off some traps in advance to cut down the number of hazards that need navigation... but the risk to the structural integrity of the hallway is there.

DG: Ruth Pauling has used her Tool Rivercrest toward her party's challenge, Treacherous Traps.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    It takes a little searching, but sure enough--

    "Bingo! This should get the lights running again," Josie remarks, fiddling a moment with the wiring behind the panel. "Someone popped 'em all out back here. Easy enough fix."

    And sure enough, the lights are back on soon after that.

    "Must've been trying to keep other people out. It sure weren't old, I tell you what," she remarks, continuing along through the passage suggested by the door tucked away in this darker room.

    "This the way we came last time? It don't quite look familiar," Josie says, only to stop up dead as she turns into the next corridor.

    "Hm. Those hanging blades up there? Tricky business to set up, there. And there's even explosives here... and there..."

    She glances back at the others and grins, in spite of the gauntlet of terror before them all. "A little overkill, don't you think? Wonder what the odds they even set it all up proper-like is." She winks the once at Yulie. "Tell you what," she says, turning to Ruth. "You see what you can do, right, and I'll nip on through here and see how bad it gets. Deal?"

DG: Josephine Lovelace has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Treacherous Traps.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

Yvain is having a pretty good day. Other than this corridor. Someone doesn't want us going this way... Yvain imagines that seems to be true. "That just makes me want to go there more, though." A beat, "I don't think it's where we went last time. She notices Ruth mentioning fear--she steps over, and Yvain does indeed find it curious. "You use Crests," he notes. "That's a style of magic with which I'm fairly unfamiliar."

Does she know she can use another way? Does she choose not to?

Well, regardless... The others work on setting things off, and Yvain helps out in his way, throwing a few rocks into traps. He is less concerned for himself, but even so...

DG: Seraph Yvain has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Treacherous Traps.
==============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>==============================
=====================<* CHALLENGE - Treacherous Traps *>======================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 3          |
--------------------------< Challenge Information: >--------------------------
 The Ethos who had excavated this place must have thought it likely that
 someone would have come in here -- maybe they thought that Gebler or some
 other arm of Solaris' forces would investigate closely, or perhaps they were
 even thinking of people like you.

 The bad news for you is that this hallway is absolutely rigged to ruin
 someone's day. Which is you. You're about to have a very bad day.

 Whether it's from the proximity mines, the bear traps, the multiple multiple
 bomblets... the only thing that can be said is that you should get through
 here as quickly as possible!
=Dungeon Conditions: Injure, Bad Luck=========================================
=========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 4 *>=========================
=======================< Results - Treacherous Traps >========================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  17 --(29)--> 46                Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        49 --(29)--> 78                Fail
Rivercrest                          1   Agility Effects: Cleanse
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      17 --(29)--> 46                Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        29 --(29)--> 58                Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
----------------------------------< Party >-----------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          55 --(15)--> 70                Fail
Conditions: Bad Luck(2)|Injure(2)|Stupify(1)
Effects: Cleanse
==============================< Dream Chasers >===============================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has failed this challenge! The party gained 15 exploration! If anyone needs to
use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

"...I am." Yulie confirms with a nod toward Ruth. "It's dangerous... I guess it bothers me that anyone would... do something like this."

"I-I don't know if a poorly-constructed trap is worse than one that's properly working..." Yulie replies with a shiver as Josie comments on the construction of a swinging blade.

Ruth sends a wave of water sweeping through the hallway. This, at least, helps deal with the bear traps - they either snap shut or are pushed out of the way, allowing them to make their way through without worrying about getting their feet caught.

This is invaluable because, half-way through the hallway, everything starts exploding. With so many explosives packed into such a small space, a single one going off means a chain reaction. At this point, it's safer to just hurry on through rather than double-back and so the party hurries through, rocked by explosions the whole way.

They make it out in one piece on the other side, miraculously... though probably not in the best of condition.

"I-Is everyone alright...?" Yulie coughs out. She might need to do at least a couple rounds of healing to patch everyone up after all of that. And with the corridor behind them destroyed by all the explosions, the only way to go now is forward...

DG: Josephine Lovelace has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Sealed Door *>==========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 3          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 You meet that most dreaded of foes, the completely sealed door. You don't
 have anything like a key -- in fact, this door doesn't even have anything
 like a keyhole. Or... a doorknob. Or anything else except inches of metal
 and a tiny, tiny series of slits that provide ventilation in and out of the
 place beyond the door.

 Good news, it's not full of deadly gas or something.
 However, the fact remains that if you're going through this door, you're
 going to have to apply certain force to it.
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous, Injure======================================
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "You think so? Heh. Then again... a blunt knife's worse than a sharp one," Josie muses, regarding the apparatus.

    'I'll nip on through here' is going to be one of those things that might just haunt Josie a little bit in retrospect, though, isn't it.

    It's not a great experience for any of them. Josie nearly loses a good bit of her bun to a swinging blade, and her longcoat is never going to be the same again after an explosion goes off far too close for comfort. Eventually all pretense of grace has to be abandoned for speed, which isn't all that good for anyone's... anything.

    "Ow," is Josie's remark once they're free of the corridor. One of her arms is bleeding a little bit.

    But now they're well and truly at an impass, for there is but one way forward--

    And it's a very very locked and reinforced door.

    Josie drops her pack and retrieves from its depths a simple archaeological-standard mattock.

    "Stand back. I'm gonna break it down," she says, bracing herself before taking a no-holds-barred swing for the door.

DG: Josephine Lovelace has used her Tool Well-Used Mattock toward her party's challenge, Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

"I'm fine," Yvain answers, though that comes with a bit of healing of his own--'fine' can be stretched a bit when you don't have to worry about all the same mortal concerns as some. But whether it's better or worse, it is, and that's that. People did it.

He is content to help Yulie with the healing for the moment, but continuing onward...

"I can help with that," Yvain says of breaking it down, pulling a lantern that sheds its crimson light on the room, sparkling on weak points to show where best to strike when he uncovers the light. "There," he says.

He doesn't have a mattock. But Josie does!

DG: Seraph Yvain has used his Tool Lantern of Revelation toward his party's challenge, Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

On the other end of the explosive-lined corridor is...!

...A completely, incredibly sealed door, without even a keyhole and a doorknob. Yulie deflates a little when she sees it. Someone really, really doesn't want them seeing what's on the other side. She takes a deep breath and exhales, taking a moment to try and psych herself back up.

"...Okay. I can do this..." She murmurs to herself, balling her hands into fists for a moment before releasing. In the meantime, Yvain has drawn a lantern and shined it on the door, revealing weakpoints!

Yulie can work with this. She rummages again, eventually bringing out a clear gem, brimming with magical energy. She draws it out and directs it toward the door in a blast of raw destructive force, aiming for one of the weakpoints that Josie isn't currently aiming for with her mattock.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has used her Tool Magic Gem toward her party's challenge, Sealed Door.
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    It's beyond harrowing. Some of those explosions and movements strike too close to home for Ruth's liking as she comes out the other side of it with a similar series of injuries to Josie over there. The sting of something that would register as 'a burn' but comes off as more of a regular ache with her present condition, minor lacerations...

     It's the wounds the others may have accumulated that has her attention, hyper-focusing on them as she emotionally spirals that she might have gotten them hurt. It's a disconcerting look, but the surface tension belies what it does for her: it helps empty some of the more noxious thoughts and ideas in her head and drains it straight into her chest - peace of mind, such as it is, comes in the form of guilt.

     What follows is something like relaxing, as healing is dispensed. This is good, because the mortal enemy of those who Dig is before them, and it's one she has yet to work up appropriate amounts of rancor for on its own merits.

     As the others find their groove and optimism about finding a way ahead to something amazing that had been kept from them prior, Ruth sits down in a kneel nearby and places down a Crest Graph with the markings of Muse and Fray - leaving forth a comforting mist that also helps depressurize the door.

     "Yes. They're Crest Graphs," she says to Yvain when she's of the mind to speak. She focuses on the mist rather than some of the other things she wants to say about it.

DG: Ruth Pauling has used her Tool Mistcrest toward her party's challenge, Sealed Door.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
=========================<* CHALLENGE - Sealed Door *>==========================
|Type: Exploration |Dungeon Ability: Brute     |Challenge Rating: 3          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 You meet that most dreaded of foes, the completely sealed door. You don't
 have anything like a key -- in fact, this door doesn't even have anything
 like a keyhole. Or... a doorknob. Or anything else except inches of metal
 and a tiny, tiny series of slits that provide ventilation in and out of the
 place beyond the door.

 Good news, it's not full of deadly gas or something.
 However, the fact remains that if you're going through this door, you're
 going to have to apply certain force to it.
=Dungeon Conditions: Overzealous, Injure======================================
==========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 5 *>==========================
===========================< Results - Sealed Door >============================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  46 --(5)--> 51                 Pass
Well-Used Mattock                   2   Brute   Effects: Strengthen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        78 --(17)--> 95                Fail
Mistcrest                           1   Brute   Effects: Cleanse
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      46 --(17)--> 63                Fail
Magic Gem                           2   Brute   Effects: Strengthen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        58 --(5)--> 63                 Pass
Lantern of Revelation               3   Brute   Effects: Rally
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          70 --(20)--> 90                Pass
Conditions: Injure(2)|Overzealous(2)
Effects: Cleanse|Strengthen(1)
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has passed this challenge! The party gained 20 exploration! If anyone needs to
use party management commands, do so now. Otherwise, the next round's GM may begin the next round with +dungeon/draw.
DG: Ruth Pauling has drawn a new Challenge.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
================<* CHALLENGE - Don't Fall Into The... Ravine *>=================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 3          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 You're almost there. You can feel it -- the center-most point (and probably
 the place with the most goodies) can't be far from here. You just have to
 cross over this bridge that connects the tower fragment you're in to
 another--

 Until you reach the center point. It's here that an enormous Gear ascends
 from below, hovering just beyond the walls of the bridge you're attempting
 to cross. It's unfamiliar -- the most anyone can tell about it is that it's
 definitely of Zeboim make (and it looks like it's sat around five thousand
 years underground) ... but the insignia is a strange one.

 Those who can read the script of the long-lost civilization will be able to
 make out the name on the insignia: RAVINE.

 Who, or what is Ravine? ...This might be a question for another time, since
 the Gear begins to open fire on the bridge. The bridge that... you're
 standing atop and in the process of trying to cross--! Hurry!

 (It doesn't answer your hails. Either the pilot is an asshole or it's
 completely automated.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow, Overwhelm==========================================
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    Crimson light shines on the door.

    Josie lets swing without mercy or hesitation, rending a deep dent into the door. Just as she's about to swing again, she spots out of the corner of her eye Yulie, who has in her hand a clear but glittering stone. Something about the stone seems to give her pause, since she then stands back, stepping aside to let the young girl have her chance.

    "Let 'em have it," Josie encourages.

    The cracks in the door are growing -- courtesy of Ruth's summoned mists -- even before Yulie delivers that last crucial thrust in the form of magical force for the door.

    It simply shatters, revealing a familiar sight ahead.

<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    They're back into where they could see that central structure that tantalized them so prior, and the hesitation - if any - would be understandable. The bridge they've been led out to is open, and vulnerable on all sides from attack. Ruth steps forward first through that door and puts her sharp eyes to use. To look above, and to the sides..

     At first - she sees no sign of that Gear. She does remember the first time they tried to cross, they came from below... but what are the odds it's still here?

     The team finds whatever impetus they do to chance it, and just as they reach the center... the propulsion systems and the noise they make are familiar, and the bridge rattles as that same Zeboim era Gear appears.

     This time, they're prepared. Ruth's heart races as she grasps hold of a Crest Graph to try and bring forth a wave of water to help carry them forward across the length, to try and get some headway before the Gear fully rises and opens fire.

     They trust you, an errant thought says in her voice. The words, said succinctly, come off as a reassuring statement in writing. That is not how it comes off as to listen to.

DG: Ruth Pauling has used her Tool Rivercrest toward her party's challenge, Don't Fall Into The... Ravine.
<Pose Tracker> Seraph Yvain has posed.

While Yvain is interested in Ruth's use of Crests rather than her Hellion-y powers, he can tell that her 'nature' is a bit of a delicate subject. So he doesn't push the matter right now. He just says instead, "I'd like to know more about them sometime." ...Doesn't have to be now. Not while they're on the verge of... Well. That.

What's ahead--what is likely to show up aain. And there it is. This time they are prepared, and as Ruth pushes them along with water, Yvain throws out flames to distract and dismay the Gear, while using the same spells to try to counteract any projectiles thrown at them.

"This time--!"

DG: Seraph Yvain has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward his party's challenge, Don't Fall Into The... Ravine.
<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    It took them an entirely different path to get here, as far as Josie's concerned, but they've gotten here all the same.

    Yeah. She knows where they are. And likely, what's awaiting them down below, to the side of the bridge.

    "C'mon. Let's do it," she says, looking between her three companions.

    Do they trust her, she can't help but wonder. Yulie of all of them... probably not, when the chips come down. Not that Josie can precisely fault her for it -- indeed, she'd be more concerned if it were any other way. But the other two?

    Now, perhaps, is not the best of times to be wondering about this. Instead, Josie simply runs, putting all she can into that sudden sprint for the other side.

    She can feel it rising. The jets from the Gear make the buildings and the bridge rattle.

    And then the bullets come.

    She keeps running, eyes forward.

DG: Josephine Lovelace has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Don't Fall Into The...
Ravine.
<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

They find themselves on a bridge leading to the central tower. It's a familiar bridge - one they've tried to cross before. Yulie feels a hint of concern for a moment. But, she steels herself are follows the others.

And just like last time... that Gear is there. She still doesn't know what the insiginia on its side means. But what she does know is that she needs to run. And so, she books it.

A part of her thinks... should she summon one of her Guardians? But... no, in a place like this it would be just as dangerous to them as the Gear is, they'd just be exchanging one danger for another...

And so she doesn't, instead electing to contribute her own protective spells to their escape attempt. She draws out a Crest Graph and focuses hard on it, creating a protective shelll around the group. But whether it can withstand a successive barrage from a Gear, well... that's another matter entirely.

DG: Yulie Ahtreide has contributed a Agility Basic Action toward her party's challenge, Don't Fall Into The... Ravine.
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
================<* CHALLENGE - Don't Fall Into The... Ravine *>=================
|Type: Final       |Dungeon Ability: Agility   |Challenge Rating: 3          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 You're almost there. You can feel it -- the center-most point (and probably
 the place with the most goodies) can't be far from here. You just have to
 cross over this bridge that connects the tower fragment you're in to
 another--

 Until you reach the center point. It's here that an enormous Gear ascends
 from below, hovering just beyond the walls of the bridge you're attempting
 to cross. It's unfamiliar -- the most anyone can tell about it is that it's
 definitely of Zeboim make (and it looks like it's sat around five thousand
 years underground) ... but the insignia is a strange one.

 Those who can read the script of the long-lost civilization will be able to
 make out the name on the insignia: RAVINE.

 Who, or what is Ravine? ...This might be a question for another time, since
 the Gear begins to open fire on the bridge. The bridge that... you're
 standing atop and in the process of trying to cross--! Hurry!

 (It doesn't answer your hails. Either the pilot is an asshole or it's
 completely automated.)
=Dungeon Conditions: Slow, Overwhelm==========================================
==========================<* Zeboim Ruins - Round 6 *>==========================
==================< Results - Don't Fall Into The... Ravine >===================
Player                               Exhaustion                      Pass/Fail
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Josephine Lovelace                  51 --(101)--> 152              Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Pauling                        95 --(101)--> 196              Fail
Rivercrest                          1   Agility Effects: Cleanse
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yulie Ahtreide                      63 --(101)--> 164              Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seraph Yvain                        63 --(101)--> 164              Fail
Rush                                0   Agility Effects: BASIC
-----------------------------------< Party >------------------------------------
Leader: Josephine Lovelace          90 --(15)--> 105               Fail
Conditions: Overwhelm|Overzealous(1)|Slow(2)
Effects: Cleanse
===============================< Dream Chasers >================================
DG: Josephine Lovelace is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Ruth Pauling is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Yulie Ahtreide is too exhausted to continue!
DG: Seraph Yvain is too exhausted to continue!
DG: You have overcome the dungeon's trials! This run is a success!
DG: The party led by Josephine Lovelace has successfully explored Zeboim Ruins!
===============================<* Zeboim Ruins *>===============================
==========================<* CHALLENGE - War & War *>===========================
|Type: Discovery   |Dungeon Ability: Conclusion|Challenge Rating: 1          |
---------------------------< Challenge Information: >---------------------------
 However you manage it, you make your way into the technological vault at the
 apparent heart of the ruins. It's still very much alive with possibility, in
 spite of five thousand years of neglect. Loose wires suggest the presence of
 a now-missing component at the center, but the rest of the system can be
 accessed with some button-pressing and panel manipulation.

 The only problem is, this is still Zeboim-era data. That means that you
 (probably) can't understand what you're getting out of the system--

 Oh. In fact, you actually can. As the text scrolls, it reveals itself to not
 even be in Zeboim-era script at all. It's perfectly legible by just about
 anybody:

 ...has been a year since Shevat and its allies have declared war against
 Solaris, and the fighting shows no sign of ending at this point. Of course,
 this was expected from the outset: any fight against Solaris' military might
 was destined to be prolonged and difficult. Nevertheless, with strong allies
 in Aveh and Nisan (formerly Nimrod), Shevat's position is favorable. We w!ll
 c#ntin_e to w4tch fr@m h2re##...ERROR.

 The system needs a moment before it reports, apparently making another
 attempt at it. But this time, Zeboim script displays before some automatic
 translation protocol overrides it and presents it something more legible to
 most observers:

 ...but it was the destruction of the Veruni Kingdom that marked the true
 beginning of the end. Perhaps the Zeboim Federation had expected their old
 enemies to hold fast against Lord Blazer. The fact ^f t_e m4tter #s _#$!
 ...DATA ERROR: REATTEMPTING... cost of her victory ...DATA ERROR:
 REATTEMPTING... complete destruction of Veruni lands ...DATA ERROR:
 REATTEMPTING... Ravine's influence increased as a result among Zeboim
 Federation provinces; Zeboim's power continues to crumble even now. Only the
 Sword Magess appears able to hold Lord Blazer at bay. Whether or not she
 will be able to defeat him is uncertain. This state of affairs surely cannot
 continue.

 The record there ends.
=Dungeon Conditions: Secret===================================================
<Pose Tracker> Ruth Pauling has posed.

    It's a flurry of deafening sound and flashing lights, and this time, the Gear isn't content to stay with warning shots. No commentary comes from the mysterious machine and its aggressive (lack of?) pilot. Explosions ring out.

     They seem to disappear within the cloud of violence as the bridge collapses from the weapons fire hurled at it. It's a rush, a panic - there's something to grab onto as the chunk of bridge swings and crashes into the nearby tower, collapsing some of the wall and offering scant opportunity to come inside it not only for shelter but also to NOT FALL AND DIE (this is key).

     Their enemy doesn't follow them. All of them have time to check their wounds or see if they're all alive. (Ruth, for her part, has a wild look in her eyes like she's a hair trigger away from acting out - she comes down eventually with tears.)

     They have to go through a narrow maintenance corridor with a lot of loose hanging wires, but they'll get to the vault - and a functional terminal that Yulie or Josie might be able to navigate. Yvain should be able to read the Zeboim script, while Ruth... well, she'll be okay. (She does almost jump at the text. Almost.)

     The words fan out above as described. Ruth, for her part, keeps quiet as the others have their say, digesting what feelings she can on the spot when met with a novel situation with some novel words and ideas in contexts she'd never had much cause to think about.

<Pose Tracker> Yulie Ahtreide has posed.

They run. They run, and run, and run, and the moment an opening is torn into the structure ahead Yulie dives for it. She waits, holding her breath as she listens for the Gear outside... and then exhales, sliding down the side of the wall and just sitting there as she catches her breath.

"W-we... we did it..." Yulie murmurs with a sigh. She feels some triumph, outweighed by the fact that she feels like she just ran a marathon. "We-we're all okay..."

She'll help with the terminal necessary if needed once she has her breath back - she's surprisingly good at using them, it seems.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    It's touch and go, as it happens. Josie can feel the bridge shuddering, cracking.

    Breaking.

    With a feral cry, she leaps at the last moment, landing on the other side of the fracturing bridge and vaults her way forward for the door.

    It seems like it's a million miles away.

    But her hand finds the handle, and she wrenches it open to fling herself through to the other side. The whole tower seems to shudder as she races down a flight of stairs and then...

    And then everything's quiet and calm. There's a maintenance corridor here, and with some managing, they're able to press on into that innermost chamber, alight with consoles.

    Actually using the consoles might be best left to Yvain -- Josie only knows some Zeboim. But the odd part is the fact that the script is translated by the machine. Josie skims the text it spits out at them, and then, in the helpful manner of any good archaeologist, finds the one button with a word she can read and reaches past Yvain to press it.

    It says 'next'.

    RETRIEVING NEXT RECORD, the screen flashes in Zeboim script.

    ...It's not very legible. It's riddled with error codes and distortions. Five thousand years is a long time.

    But the one line that reads perfectly -- once the console runs its translation protocol on the text -- is one that renders as thus:

    '...is necessary for proper satellite launch into low-Filgaian orbit from the Admah launch site. Based on our research, we recommend...'

    And that's it. The rest of the text snippets (less coherent than that one) suggest that this file had something to do with getting material up and into orbit (what's that, one might rightly ask in this day and age) around the planet. But it's so deeply corrupted that it's hard to discern what else could be found in here.

    "So, Yvvie. You doin' anything for the next day or so," Josie asks him, casually-like.

    It's probably not hard to guess what she has in mind.